Electric fixture for elongated tubular lamps



May 6, 1952 Filed Dec. 2, 1947 T. CURZON ELECTRIC FIXTURE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6, 1952 CURZQN 2,595,771

ELECTRIC FIXTURE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 6, 1952 v CURZQN 2,595,771

ELECTRIC FIXTURE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Filed Dec. 2, 1947 3 Shee ts-Sheet 3 F- PQ\\ Q d lmu C D L C PQ "K; Tg W L. Q JMJMLwJJLJL I Eb .29 F LL L a K N D K J M c Q ill "lzauamaz Patented May 6, 1952 OFFICE;

ELECTRIC FIXTURE FOR ELONGATED TUBULAR LAMPS Thomas Curzon, London, England, assignor to C. A. V. Limited, London, England Application December 2, 1947, Serial No. 789,314 In Great Britain October 18, 1946 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to fittings for use with tubular electric lamps of the gas-discharge type, and particularly to fittings. for use in public vehicles, such as trams and buses, the object of the invention being to provide an improved fitting enabling efiicient use of the light and a pleasing appearance to be obtained in a simple and convenient manner.

The invention comprises a fitting made from translucent or transparent material, and formed with a trough for accommodating the lamp, the trough being only a little larger in cross section than the diameter of the lamp, and the fitting being adapted to utilise the light from the enclosed part of the lamp.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, 2, 3 and 4 are cross sections, through the central parts of four different and representative forms of fittings embodying the invention.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken through one end of the fitting corresponding to Figure 1, and showing current supply terminals.

Figure 6 is a side elevation and Figure 7 a plan showing to a smaller scale a fitting corresponding to the sections shown at Figures '1 and 5,.the latter figures being taken respectively on thefllines l--l and 55 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary plan showing to the same scale as Figure 5 one of the lamp-retaining caps. 4

Referring to any of the accompanying drawings, I make the fitting a from any appropriate translucent or transparent material, such as glass, or material of the synthetic resin type. The fitting may be adapted to be mounted on the wall, or in a corner between a pair of walls or a wall and ceiling. Along the front of the fitting is formed a trough b adapted to accommodate the tubular lamp 0. In cross section the trough is made only a little larger than the cross section of the lamp as will be seen in any of the cross sections at Figures 1 to 4. Thus, for example, it is not so much larger as to allow the fingers of a hand to be placed between the lamp and the sides of the trough.

Within each end of the fitting are contained current supply terminals d with which are associated spring contacts e as shown in Figure 5, for co-operating with the pairs of contact pins f at ends of the lamp, and preferably at each end of the fitting a pair of open-ended slots g are formed to allow the pins to be pushed into engagement with the contacts, the latter being insulated from each other by the part of the fitting lying between the slots. For holding the lamp in position, a pair of caps h are provided on the fitting for engagement with the lamp ends. In the examples shown at Figures 6 and 7, these end caps are pivoted on the fitting at i and are adapted to be held in the operative position by any convenient spring means such as concavoconvex projections 7 adapted to snap into engagement with complementary parts on the sides of the fitting. For securing the fitting in position fixing screws k may be provided at the ends of the fitting.

The configuration of the fitting may be of any of a variety of forms as exemplified by Figures 1 to 4, provided that it is adapted to reflect internally and transmit light received from the sides and back of the lamp, that is to say from the parts of the lamp which are enclosed by the trough. When the fitting is required to be mounted in a rounded corner, the rear surface of the fitting is made to a corresponding convex shape, and the outer surfaces of the fitting lying between the rear surface and the edges of the trough are made concave. Further the fitting is preferably solid, but it may be hollow. The outer surfaces of the fitting may be smooth, fluted, facetted or otherwise formed, provided always that they serve to utilise the light from the rear and sides of the lamp, and thereby supplement the direct light emitted by the exposed front of the lamp, the supplementary light being transmitted at the sides and/or ends of the fitting. To obtain diffusion of the light from behind the lamp to the end portions of the fitting, the rear surface may be transversely ridged, or otherwise facetted. Also if desired a rear surface may have formed on or secured to it a silvered or coloured reflecting surface.

A fitting as above described is not only simple in construction, and adapted to utilise the light efficiently and in a pleasing manner, but it also enables the lamp to be easily placed in position, and moreover it afiords protection to the lamp against accidental breakage. The back of the lamp is inaccessible, and a pressure exerted on the exposed front of the lamp merely moves it into contact with the'base of the trough.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Means for supporting a tubular electric lamp of the gas-discharge type having terminals at its ends with one side of the lamp exposed, comprising in combination a fitting made of light-transmitting material, and having formed in it a lamp-receiving trough which is open at the front of the fitting, the rear of the fitting being of greater over-all width than the front of the fitting so that the latter can serve to reflect internally, as well as transmit, light from the part of the lamp enclosed by the trough, electric current supply terminals and contacts for said terminals in the ends of the fitting, and means for enabling the fitting to be secured in a service position.

THOMAS CURZON.

4 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Claspy Oct. 14, 1941 Guth Mar. 24, 1942 Roberts Jan. 2, 1945 Goldberg July 23, 1946 Beals July 29, 1947 

